Creel for textile machines



Feb. 14, 1967V G. E. BUCKLOW ET AL 3,304,026

CEEEL EOE TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1964 l.. mw er BY 629 United States Patent C M 3,304,026 CREEL FR TEXTlLE MACHlNES Geoffrey E. Bncklow, Leek, and John Knowles, Alderley Edge, England, assignors to Ernest Scragg & Sons Lim- This invention provides improvements in or relating to textile machines.

The invention comprises a creel adapted to hold a plurality of yarn supply packages for a textile yarn processing machine, which creel when mounted in a machine is capable of movement between a first position in which packages held thereby are in operative positions with respect to the machine, and a second position in which packages held thereby are clear of obstruction whereby to permit or facilitate operations on the packages.

Preferably, the creel is so arranged that movement of the creel between one position and another does not affect withdrawal of the yarn from the packages.

The creel may be adapted to be pivotally mounted in a textile machine.

The creel may be adapted to hold a pair of packages so that the tail of one package can be connected to the top ot the other package. One form of creel is adapted to hold four packages.

The creel may comprise a frame adapted to be pivotally mounted in a textilemachine and a plurality of package-holding rods. The frame may comprise a shaped strip of rigid material to which the rods are secured. The frame may comprise a member adapted to support one or more yarn stabilizers, for example of the disc type. Said member may be adapted to be situated, when the creel is mounted in a textile machine, wholly or partly at the front of the machine.

The creel may comprise a locking member adapted to lock the creel, when mounted in a textile machine, in one of its said positions. Said locking member may cornprise an arm pivoted to the creel and carrying at its free end a star wheel self-locking device adapted to co-operate with means fixed in a textile machine.

The creel may comprise a locating member adapted to make resilient connection with a part of a textile Inachine in which the creel is mounted whereby to locate the creel in its first position.

The invention also comprises a textile machine, for example, a false-twist or other crimping machine, or warping, winding, coning, hot or cold stretching, hot relaxing, beaming or reeling machines, comprising a creel as herein described. Said textile machine may comprise a pivotal mounting for said creel, which mounting is isolated from vibrating parts of the machine. Said mounting may comprise a bar mounted on resiliently supported brackets. The bar may be adapted to support a plurality of creels.

The machine may comprise a part adapted to make resilient connection with a locating member of a creel whereby to locate the creel in its rst position, and said part may comprise an open-ended resilient cylinder, said locating member being adapted to engage in said cylinder.

One embodiment of a creel and of a textile machine according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure is an elevation.

The figure illustrates a creel adapted to hold a plurality of supply packages 11 for a textile yarn processing machine, which creel when mounted in a machine is capable of swinging between a first (full-line) position in which packages 11 held thereby are in operative positions with Patented Feb. 14, 1967 respect to the machine, and a second (dash-line) position in which packages 11 held thereby are clear of obstruction whereby to permit or facilitate operations on the packages, such as replacement of empty packages and connecting, by knotting, the tail of one package to the top of the other package. It is arranged that the yarn can be withdrawn from the packages in both of said positions. The creel is pivotally mounted on a bar 10 in a textile machine. The second position is illustrated by showing the outline only of the creel, for simplicity.

The creel is adapted to hold four packages 11 in pairs (of which one pair is shown in place) so that the tail of one of said pair can be connected to the top of the other package.

The creel comprises a frame comprising a shaped strip 12 of rigid material, such as steel. To the strip 12 are secured four package-holding rods 13 with stepped bases 13a adapted to hold packages of several sizes and a member 14 of three separate pieces held together by lugs 15, each lug 15 carrying pigtail yarn guides 16 and a disc type yarn stabilizer 17. The rods 13 are in pairs, the rods of each pair being directed substantially towards the lugs 15, the strip 12 being shaped at its lower portion, and having an additional shaped strip 12a Welded thereto to direct the lower rod of each pair. The free ends of the member 14 are welded to the strip 12, and the centre part of the member 14 is situated at the front of the machine. This part serves as a handle by which the creel may be moved between its two positions.

The creel comprises a locking member adapted to lock the creel in its second position. The locking member comprises an arm 18 pivoted at 19 to the creel and carrying at its free end a star wheel self-locking device 21. The device 21 co-operates with means fixed in the machine comprising a slide 22 adapted to receive the device 21 when aligned in one direction with respect to the slide and to hold the device 21 at its upper end when aligned in another direction, a pin 23 being provided at the upper end of the slide to align the device 21 alternately in its two directions when the frame 12 is lifted to an extent to engage the device 21 and the pin 23.

The creel comprises a locating member 24, secured to the strip 12 and comprising a ball 25 adapted to slide against resistance into, and a disc 26, integral with the ball 25, adapted to abut, an open-ended resilient cylinder 27, for example of rubber, fixed in the machine.

The bar 10, which comprises a pivotal mounting for a plurality of creels, is mounted on resiliently supported brackets 28 `on a fixed part of the machine.

The resilient connections of the creel to the 'machine serve to isolate the creel from vibrating parts of the machine thereby to lessen the effect of vibrations on the withdrawal of yarn from the packages.

What we claim is:

1. In a yarn processing machine having a yarn processing station, creel means secured to said machine and carry ing bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing station, said creel means being movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing station whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by said processing station, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are re-adily accessible; and combined guiding and locating means operatively connected with said machine and creel means for guiding the latter during movement from said first to said second position and for locating s-aid creel means in said first position in a predetermined relationship with respect to said machine, said locking means comprising an elontoward said first end but terminating short thereof, and a second passage intermediate said first passage and said first end, said second passage having a cross-section larger than said first passage, said locking means further cornprising an elongated arm pivotally secured at one end to said frame-shaped member and having its other end slidably received in said passages through said first end of said sleeve member, and a locking member carried by said other end of said arm, said locking member being movable with respect to said arm between one position in which it extends substantially parallel to the latter and is receivable with the same in said first passage, and another position in which it extends transversely of said arm and is prevented from entry into said first passage, and actuating means adapted to bias said locking member from said one to said other position whereby, when said other end of 'said arm is withdrawn from said first passage into said second passage of said sleeve member during movement of said frame-shaped member from said first to said second position, said locking member will pass from said first passage into said second passage and said actuating means will bias said locking member into said other position so that reinsertion of said other end of said arm into said first passage is blocked and said frame-shaped member is locked into said second positionL 2. In a yarn processing machine having a yarn processing station, creel means secured to said machine land carrying bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing station, said creel means being movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing station whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by Said processing station, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible; and combined guiding and locating means operatively connected with ysaid machine and cree-l means for guiding the latter during movement from said first to said second position and for locating said creel means in said first position in a predetermined relationship with respect to said machine, said locking means comprising a sleeve provided with a channel and secured to said machine and having a free open end, and a projecting member secured to ysaid frame-shaped member and having a free end portion substantially complementary to the cross-section of said channel and received therewith in frictional engagement with the wall surrounding said channel, said projecting member further having rearwardly of said free end portion a stop portion adapted to abut an end face of said free open end of said sleeve upon movement of said frame-shaped member into said first position and corresponding movement of said free end portion deeper into said channel, so that, when said stop portion engages said end f-ace, said frame-shaped member is located in a predetermined relationship relative to said machine.

3. In a yarn processing machine having a yarn processing station, creel means comprising a frame member tiltably secured to lsaid machine, said member carrying bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing station and including holder means for said bobbin means, said creel means being tiltably movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing station whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by said processing station, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible, said bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing station in both said first and said second position of said creel means, and including at least two individual bobbins of which one is a feed bobbin and the other is a reserve bobbin, the trailing end of the filamentary material on said feed bobbin being connected to the leading end of the filamentary material on the reserve bobbin; stabilizer means on said creel means including disk-type stabilizers carried by said frame member, for stabilizing the filamentary material being supplied to said processing station; `locking means locking said creel means in the respective first and second position; mounting means resiliently mounting said creel means on said machine so as to substantially isolate the creel means from vibrations occurring during operation of the machine; and combined guiding and locating means operatively connected with said machine and said creel means for guiding the latter kduring movement from said first to said `second position, and for locating said creel means in said rst position in a predetermined relationship with respect to said machine.

4. In a yarn processing machine having a yarn processing station, creel means pivotally secured t-o said machine and carrying bobbin means, said creel means being tiltably movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing station whereby access to s-aid creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by said processing station, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible, said bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing stations in both said first and second positions of said creel mean-s and comprising at least one bobbin adapted to supply filamentary material to one of said processing stations and -at least one further bobbin adapted to supply filamentary material to the other of said processing station, and said creel means comprising a frame member; mounting means mounting said creel means on said machine and including a bar to which said frame member is swingably secured, and resilient means connecting said bar to said machine so that said creel means is thereby substantially isolated from vibrations of said machine. l

5. In a yarn processing machine having a first yar processing station and at least one additional yarn processing station, creel means secured to said machine and carrying bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing stations, said creel means being movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing stations whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by said processing stations, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible, said bobbin means supplying said filamentary material to said processing stations in both said first and second positions of said creel means and comprising at least one bobbin adapted to supply filamentary material to one of said processing stations and at least one further bobbin adapted to supply filamentary material to the other of said processing stations.

6. In a yarn processing machine having a first yarn processing station and at least one additional yarn processing station, creel means pivotally secured to said machine and carrying bobbin means supplying filamentary material `to said processing stations, said creel means being tiltably movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which it is located close to said processing stations whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by said processing stations, and a second position in which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible, and said bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing stations in both said first and second positions of said creel means and comprising at least one bobbin adapted to. supply filamentary material to one of said processig stations and at `least one further bobbin adapted to supply filamentary material to the other of said processing stations.

7. In a yarn processing machine having a first yarn processing station and at least one additional yarn processing station, creel means secured to said machine and carrying bobbin means supplying filamentary material to said processing stations, said creel means being movable with reference to said machine between a first position in which -it is located close to said processing stat-ions whereby access to said creel means and bobbin means is obstructed by saidprocessing stations, and a second position in Which said creel means and bobbin means are readily accessible, and said bobbin means supplying ilamentary material to said processing stations in both said first and second positions of said creel means and comprising at least a pair of first bobbins adapted to supply lamentary material to one of said processing stations and at least a pair of further bobbins adapted to supply ilamentary material to the other of said processing stations, one bobbin of each pair being a feed bobbin and the other bobbin of each pair being a supply bobbin, and the trailing end of the lamentary material on the feed bobbin of each pair being connected to the leading end of the larnentary material of the reserve bobbin of the same pair Iso that, when the ilamentary material on the respective feed bob- `bin is used, supply of such material to the corresponding 15 processing station is continued by the respective reserve bobbin, whereby the empty feed bobbin may be eX- changed for a full one without stopping the machine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,179,015 11/1939 Lawson 242-130 2,554,493 5/1951 Heizer 242-150 2,665,857 1/1954 Fisher er a1. 242-1311 10 3,168,996 2/1965 vossen 242-131 FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, MERVIN STEIN, L. D.

CHRISTIAN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A YARN PROCESSING MACHINE HAVING A YARN PROCESSING STATION, CREEL MEANS SECURED TO SAID MACHINE AND CARRYING BOBBIN MEANS SUPPLYING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL TO SAID PROCESSING STATION, SAID CREEL MEANS BEING MOVABLE WITH REFERENCE TO SAID MACHINE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT IS LOCATED CLOSE TO SAID PROCESSING STATION WHEREBY ACCESS TO SAID CREEL MEANS AND BOBBIN MEANS IS OBSTRUCTED BY SAID PROCESSING STATION, AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID CREEL MEANS AND BOBBIN MEANS ARE READILY ACCESSIBLE; AND COMBINED GUIDING AND LOCATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID MACHINE AND CREEL MEANS FOR GUIDING THE LATTER DURING MOVEMENT FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND POSITION AND FOR LOCATING SAID CREEL MEANS IN SAID FIRST POSITION IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID MACHINE, SAID LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING A FREE FIRST END AND A SECOND END SECURED TO SAID MACHINE, SAID SLEEVE MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED FIRST PASSAGE EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND END TOWARD SAID FIRST END BUT TERMINATING SHORT THEREOF, AND A SECOND PASSAGE INTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST PASSAGE AND SAID FIRST END, SAID SECOND PASSAGE HAVING A CROSS-SECTION LARGER THAN SAID FIRST PASSAGE, SAID LOCKING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ARM PIVOTALLY SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID FRAME-SHAPED MEMBER AND HAVING ITS OTHER END SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID PASSAGES THROUGH SAID FIRST END OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBER, AND A LOCKING MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID OTHER END OF SAID ARM, SAID LOCKING MEMBER BEING MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID ARM BETWEEN ONE POSITION IN WHICH IT EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LATTER AND IS RECEIVABLE WITH THE SAME IN SAID FIRST PASSAGE, AND ANOTHER POSITION IN WHICH IT EXTENDS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ARM AND IS PREVENTED FROM ENTRY INTO SAID FIRST PASSAGE, AND ACTUATING MEANS ADAPTED TO BIAS SAID LOCKING MEMBER FROM SAID ONE TO SAID OTHER POSITION WHEREBY, WHEN SAID OTHER END OF SAID ARM IS WITHDRAWN FROM SAID FIRST PASSAGE INTO SAID SECOND PASSAGE OF SAID SLEEVE MEMBER DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME-SHAPED MEMBER FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEMBER WILL PASS FROM SAID FIRST PASSAGE INTO SAID SECOND PASSAGE AND SAID ACTUATING MEANS WILL BIAS SAID LOCKING MEMBER INTO SAID OTHER POSITION SO THAT REINSERTION OF SAID OTHER END OF SAID ARM INTO SAID FIRST PASSAGE IS BLOCKED AND SAID FRAME-SHAPED MEMBER IS LOCKED INTO SAID SECOND POSITION. 